Package



W. E. KIDD, JR

May 18, 1965 PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 18, 1962 May 18, 1965 w. E. KIDD, .1R

PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sepi. 18, 1962 no -l H United States Patent O 3,184,057 PACKAGE William E. Kidd, r., Teaneclr, NJ., assigner to Coats 3l Clark lne., New York, NY., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 1S, 1962, Ser. No. 224,336 1 Claim. (Cl. 20S-78) The present invention relates to a wrapper case for packaging small articles, such as slide fastener or zipper stringers, to form a small sale package therewith.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved inexpensive sale package case made from a sheet of flexible material, such as paper, easily foldable to enclose an article to form an attractive compact package therewith, and easily unfoldable to permit easy access to the article without tearing or otherwise breaking the case.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved sale package case which has the desirable characteristics described and which is provided with a window permitting the packaged article to be seen therethrough.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved sale package case, which has the desirable characteristics described, and which is constructed to permit the package to be supported for display while on sale.

Various other objects of the invention are apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a front elevational View of the complete sale package embodying the present invention and shown with a suspension tab thereon extended for display suspension of the package;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the complete sale package but shown in FIG. l with its suspension tab tucked into the package into inoperative position;

FlG. 3 is a longitudinal section of the complete sale package taken on lines 3 3 of FIG. l;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are transverse sections taken on lines 4 4 and 5 5 respectively of FIG. l, but on a larger scale;

FlG. 6 is an elevation of the sale package shown partly open; and

FIG. 7 is an elevation of the inside of the package case in fully open position before the article to be packaged has been attached thereto, but shown on a scale smaller than that of the other figures.

Referring to the drawings, the package case lll of the present invention is shown for enclosing small flat elongated articles. In the specific form of the invention shown, the package case l@ is shown enclosing a slide fastener or zipper Stringer li comprising -two iiexible opposed fabric tapes 12 having interlockable fastener elements 13 secured along their confronting edges and a slider 14 for separating the fastener elements on the two tapes and for bringing them together into interlocking relationship, as the slider is moved along the juncture between the tapes. The Stringer 11 is sold for attachment wherever it is needed, as for example, in garments, and in use is applied in the known manner, as for example, by stitching the tapes l2 in position.

The Stringer 1l is packaged for sale in the case 10 comprising a sheet lo, desirably made of paper, stili enough to hold its form during ordinary handling as part of the package, but not so sti as to prevent easy folding of the sheet into a flat compact case. For that purpose, the sheet of paper 16 is desirably heavier than ordinary writing paper but lighter than cardboard.

The sheet 16 is creased or scored along lines 20, 21 and 22 to form fold lines and to divide the sheet into a series l? Faterrted May 18, 1965 ice of successive panels 23, 24, 25 and 26. The sheet 16 is adapted to be wrapped around the article 1l to be packaged by folding successively and continuously along the lines 2li, 2l and 22.

The first or inner end panel 23 is of rectangular oblong shape and is wider than the width of the article l1 to be packaged. Cut into the panel 23 are two similar opposed arcuate slits 27 with their convex sides facing each other to form two opposed segmental article holding tabs 28 and a short straight slit Btl extending between the peaks of said arcuate slits 2'? to afford suiicient clearance between said tabs, to permit easy lingering of the tabs in attaching the article thereto or removing the article therefrom. The distance between the chordal bases 3l of the tabs is slightly greater than the width of the article il.

in the packaging of the article ll, the article is laid flat on the outer face of the inner end panel 23 with the two tabs 28 overlying the article, as shown in FIG. 6, and one end of said article is secured to the upper end of said panel, as for example, by a wire staple 32. The article il is longer than the panel 23, but the lower section 33 of the article il is folded over the lower edge 3ft of the panel and extended along the inner face of the panel, in the packaging of the article.

The second panel 24 is also of substantially rectangular oblong shape and has a width substantially equal to the width of the panel 23 and its upper edge 3S in alignment with the upper edge 36, of the panel 23. T he panel 2d, however, is longer than the panel 23, so that the lower section 37 of said panel 24 extends below the lower edge 3d of the panel 23. This lower section 37 of the panel 24 has a transverse score or crease line 3S located a short distance below the level of the lower edge 3d of the panel 23 to define a closure ilap all adapted to be folded over the lower section of the panel 23 containing the folded article ll, when said panel 23 with attached article is folded along the fold line 2l) and is placed tlat against said panel 24 in the position shown in FlG. 6.

The panel 24 also has two spaced aligned locking slits 4l extending along the length of the panel to form openings for receiving respective tabs 42 on the end panel 26 by which the case lll may be releasably locked in closed article wrapping position of the case, as will be more fully described, and having angular offset extensions 43 at their ends, permitting said openings to be widened, so that greater facility in inserting said tabs into said openings is aflorded.

rlfhe third panel 25 is also substantially of oblong rectangular shape, and has a width slightly greater than that of the panels 23 and 24 to permit the panels 25 and 26 to be wrapped around the panels 23 and 24 with minimum of bulging. The lower edge 44 of the panel 2S Iis in alignment with the transverse fold line 33 of the panel 2d and the upper section of the panel 25 extends beyond the upper edge 35 of the panel 24 and has a transverse fold or crease line 4S in alignment with said upper panel edge 35 to define a flap 46 on said panel 25 with a hole 47. This flap 46 may be folded inwardly over the upper edges 35 and 36 of the panels 24 and 23, when said panels are folded together as shown in FlG. 2, or may be extended from the package to form means by which the package may be suspended from a hook or peg for display purposes, as shown in FIG. l.

The panel 2S has an opening 5b, shown in oval shape and covered with a transparent pane 51 of transparent material, such as cellophane, adhesively secured to said panel to form a Window by which part of the article 11 packaged is exposed to view. In the specific form shown, the window opening Sil is located in the upper section of the panel 25 in position to expose the upper section of the Stringer 1l below the staple 32, including parts of the tapes 12, the fastening elements 13 and the slider le, so that the color and design of the'packaged stringer 11 can be observed. Y

The fourth or outer end panel 26 of generally oblong rectangular shape has its end edges coextensive with and in alignment with the ends of the panel V25, and has a maximum width less than that of the panel 25, so that this end panel does not project beyond the fold line 21 when the case lib is completely wrapped around the article 11 in the condition shown in FIG. 2. At its outer side, the panel 26 has its two locking tabs 42 separated by a finger tab 54 and having a maximum length a little less than that of the slits 41. The locking tabs 42 are separated from the finger tab 54 by means of V-shaped notches 5S in the outer edge of the panel 26, so that the nger tab 54 tapers outwardly in the form of a trapezoid, and the outer sides 56 of the locking tabs 42 slope outwardly towards each other, so that the locking tabs 42 taper outwardly in the form of a trapezoid for easy entry into the slits 41 in the panel 24. The locking tabs 42 have a height greater than the height of the nger tab 54 to permit entry of the locking tabs 42 into Vthe slits 41 to a substantial depth for good releasable securement while imparting suflicient rigidity to the tab 54 by its short height to facilitate its fingering for package opening operation.

The outer surfaces 60 of the case 10 may contain decorative, informative, descriptive and/ or advertising printing, and the inner surface 61 of the case may also contain such printing.

In forming and assembling the complete package, the case is laid'out at, as shown in FIG. 7, the article 11 is laid dat on the outer face 60 of the panel 23 with the two tabs 28 overlying the article, the lower section 33 of the article is folded over the lower edge 34' of the panel and extended along the inner face 61 of the panel, and the upper end section of the article is secured to the upper section of the panel by the wire staple 32. With the articlell so attached to and folded around the panel 23, the panel is folded along the fold line against the panel 24, as shown in FIG. 6, and the closure lap is folded along the foldline 38 over the panel 23:, to prevent the lower folded section 33 of the article 11 from slipping out from lower end of the case Mibetween the panels 23 andV 24. With the panels 23 and 24 doubly folded together, and the closure flap 40 folded over the panel 23, the two panels 23 and 24 face to face are folded along the fold line 21 and then along the fold line 22, to bring the end panel 26 against the panel 24 face to face. In this completely wrapped condition of the article 11, the locking tabs 42 are inserted into the slits 41. In this condition, if the package is to be supported from'a peg for display purposes, the apertured tab 46 will be extended from the package, as shown in FIG. l, orif this tab is not required, Vit may be tucked into the package against the panel 25, as shown in FIG. 2.

For opening the package, all that is necessary is to stick a nger or finger nail underneath the finger tab 54 and to lift said tab, this action causing the lock tabs 42 to slip out of the slits 41. With these lock tabs 42 so released, the case 10 may be unwrapped from the article 11, and

. 4, the article removed from the case, after the wire staple 32 has been removed. Y

It is seen that the flat package in accordance with the present'invention can be easily'and compactly packed in lots for storage and transportation, is attractive, is easy to assemble and is easy to open up, and permits visible observation ofthe contents of the package without opening the package.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to a specific embodiment, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited thereto but is to be constructed broadly and restricted solely by thescope of the appended claim.

Y What is claimed is:

A flat package comprising a slide fastener Stringer having opposed tapes and interlocked fastener elements secured along the confronting edges of said tapes and separable by means of a slider, and a case therefor cornprising a sheet having a series of creased substantially parallel fold linesdividing said sheet into a series of successive elongated panels with an outer end panel, one of the other panels having a pair of opposed slits extending generally therealong and defining a pair of opposed tabs, said slits being arcuate with their convex sides facing each other to form said tabs yin segmental form, said slit panel having an additional slit extending between the peaks of said arcuate slits, said tabs being spaced and said Stringer being releasably held dat on said one panel with said tabs overlying the sides of 'the Stringer and with the interlocked fastener elements extending along the spacing between said tabs, the spacing between said tabs being suiiicient to fully reveal the fastener elements between said tabs when the case is opened, said Stringer being enclosed in said case and said sheet being successively and continuously folded about said fold lines with said Stringer attached to said one panel, and with said outer end panel folded flat against one of the other panels, and means for releasably securing said end panel to said panel against which said end panel -is folded.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Talon slide fastener case, photostat and original case, March 29, 1958.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Exalrzner.

EARLE J. DRUMMGND, GEORGE O. RALSTON,

Examiners. 

